If you liked this article, why not learn how to do other things with your Tech Deck hobby? Check out my other articles related to this topic:How to Make a Tech DeckHow to Make a Tech Deck Half PipeHow to Make a Tech Deck Quarter Pipe

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How to Make a Tech Deck

So you want to learn how to make a Tech Deck? Even though you can find these miniature skateboards in stores, you can learn to build your own out of either wood or even something as simple as cardboard. It's not as hard as you may think and by learning how to make a Tech Deck you will be able to customize them to your liking and show them off to your friends. Haven't you always wanted to be able to have a personalized fingerboard? In this article you'll discover how to make a Tech Deck using two different methods.

How to Make a Tech Deck out of Wood

If you have access to a band saw and know a thing or two about how to use them, then you can build one out of a piece of scrap wood. First, you'll need to find a block of wood. A 3-by-4-inch block will do; as long as it's bigger than a fingerboard you're good to go.

In the first step on how to make a Tech Deck out of wood you will have to trace the outline of one of the tiny skateboards onto the block. You can freehand it if you want but you have to be careful and make sure you put the holes for the trucks exactly how they are supposed to be. Whether you freehand it yourself or trace it, you still need to mark the holes for the trucks.

After tracing the outline onto the block of wood, it's time to take it to the band saw and start making your first cuts. All you have to do in this step of how to make a Tech Deck is cut the outline of your fingerboard out and get rid of the extra wood. Make sure you make your cuts nice and straight and follow the lines carefully.

Next is the trickiest part of the whole process. After you trace an outline of the side view of a fingerboard onto the edge of the wood you'll have to cut that out as well. The reason this is so tricky is because of the delicate curves of the tail and nose and also the fact that it is extremely thin. Be sure to be extra careful for this step because you don't want to lose a finger learning how to make a Tech Deck out of wood.

Now that your miniature skateboard is all cut out, take some fine-grit sandpaper and smooth everything out. Sand the edges where you made the cuts and also the top and bottom just to make painting easier later on.

The holes for the trucks need to be bored out. Use a 1 millimeter drill bit and bore out the holes after securing the fingerboard in a vice. You could also use a drill press to make the holes in the Tech Deck if you happen to have one.

After creating the bolt-holes for your tiny trucks, apply some grip tape to the top. There are two ways you can go about this; you could use real grip tape and just stick it on, or you could use some sandpaper and glue it on. It's up to you. If you have some extra skateboard grip tape lying around, grab a piece and stick it on, then cut off all the excess. No matter what you use, just remember to poke out the holes for the trucks afterwards.

Now comes the part that makes learning how to make a Tech Deck really fun. It's time to paint and customize your board and make it really stand out. Use acrylic paint and apply 3 to 4 thin layers allowing about 10 minutes of dry-time in between each coat. Create a solid background first and then start adding your own designs and artwork. When you're all finished, let all the paint dry for a few hours to avoid smudging it.

The final step is to assemble the trucks. You can buy fingerboard trucks in stores or you could just disassemble on of your own miniature skateboards and use those. A skate tool is required for this step on how to make a Tech Deck out of wood and usually when you buy a fingerboard it comes with one, otherwise you can buy one in a store or even use an eyeglass repair kit.

How to Make a Tech Deck out of Paper

A more practical and easier way to build your own miniature skateboard is to use thick paper or cardboard like from index cards or cereal boxes. First you need to trace the outline onto a piece of paper and use it as a template to retrace it again 7 times onto index cards or other similar cardboard. Cut all of your outlines out and these will be your layers.

Making a Tech Deck out of paper is pretty simple. After you have all of your layers cut out, just glue each of them together. Put a little bit of glue on each layer and spread it evenly with your finger and place one cut-out on top of the other and allow all of the glue to dry. Bend each end up so that they look more like a real nose and tail. On your top layer, use a pen to mark where the holes for the trucks go, then use a needle to poke each one of them out.

For the grip tape you can use the real thing or you can glue sandpaper on as mentioned in the section of how to make a Tech Deck out of wood. Be sure to poke out the holes again after applying the grip tape let any glue you used dry before proceeding to the next step.

Use markers or paint to decorate and customize the bottom of your paper fingerboard. The only left to do after that is to put the trucks on. These can be bought in stores or be taken off actual toys and transferred over.

As you can see, it's not too difficult to make a Tech Deck. Just about anyone can do it, and it's a great way to create something unique that you can show off. How many other kids do you know have a personalized fingerboard?